The Legend of Anankos
by Hammerschlag
Summary: One of the last dragons to remain on the mortal plane was beginning to lose his mind. This is the last account of him before he succumbed completely. Based on the second Hidden Truths DLC.


**Here we are - my first REAL Fates oneshot.**

 **The middle section** _ **is**_ **dialogue-heavy, but I'd like to believe that isn't too much of a problem.**

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He was once a great man. Friend and advisor to the Kings of Valla, Anankos loved his people; it was out of that love that he banished himself to a shrine concealed by the forests when he felt his mind slipping. The people would visit him from time to time, but he would never let them stay too long. He grew lonely in his isolation, but knew it was for the best.

Eventually, his madness had grown to the point that it sometimes took over. One day, it had become so great that he destroyed the forest around him. This action caused the people to fear and hate him; the only friend he had left was the King of Valla, who despite everything still came to the shrine to comfort him.

The peoples' hatred only continued to rise over time, as those who remembered Anankos from before he succumbed to madness died out, while those who only heard of his madness lived on. One day, despite the King's pleas, the people set out to destroy the dragon once and for all. But they were mere humans, and Anankos was one of the most powerful dragons ever to live. They reached his shrine and launched their attack, angering the dragon to the point of absolute insanity.

Now blinded with rage, Anankos destroyed everyone who attack him, including those who tried to flee. Those few warriors who stayed behind grew weary, and the people followed suit. They began praying for a higher power to eliminate Anankos… and Anankos sensed their prayers. But before he launched his attack, he was visited one final time by his old friend, the King of Valla.

"What do you want, King?"

"I have come to beg you to spare the humans. I know they have grown angry and hateful, but there is still good in them and I believe together we can convince them of their wrongs."

"It is too late for humanity. You are different, so I shall spare you and your family. Go to the other side while you still can… my friend, the Rainbow Sage, will be able to protect you there. If you choose to stay, I cannot guarantee your safety."

"I already took the liberty of sending away my wife and daughter… but I will not leave my people to die."

"Your people are diseased, old friend. Do not let their illness spread to you."

"Diseases can be cured without the use of violence! Surely you realize that."

"Perhaps my animalistic urges have clouded by judgement, but my instincts tell me most of your people disagree with your philosophies."

"Your instincts are as strong as ever… but people can change! Their violent urges will pass with time! Even if they do not, they will never attack you!"

"Out of fear, my King. Just because they can't attack doesn't mean they're better than those who could; it just means they're weak. Weak, diseased cowards who do not deserve the gift of life."

"Who are you and I to decide such things?! We are not gods!"

"You may not be a god, old friend, but I am, and I will deliver righteous vengeance upon all the sinners of the world! All who oppose me shall feel the wrath of a divine being!"

"Anankos, you are not yourself. Please, calm down–"

"No! I have grown tired of your pleas! You have angered a god, and for that you shall be punished!" Anankos shouted indignantly and struck down the one human who still believed in him… the one human he could still call friend.

Upon seeing the King's dead body, Anankos' sanity returned for a moment.

"This can't be… how could I have… no, this must end… I will not let myself be controlled by madness any more!" With all the power he could muster, Anankos cast an ancient spell upon himself, ripping out his soul. He had thought doing so would destroy his current body and replace it with a new, uncorrupted one, but instead it separated his sanity from his madness. His sane self took the form of a weak human and departed the land, while his demented self completely took over his draconic body and proceeded to destroy all life around him.

"I must find help… I must end the madness…" the human Anankos said with conviction and sought out the greatest warriors he could find.

Eventually, he came upon three young Ylisseans who had once helped end another great war and persuaded them to join his side. These three warriors would end up saving his world as they did their own.

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 **So yeah, like I said in the description, this was basically a recap of the second Hidden Truths DLC, except I recounted the events as they happened rather than explaining them through exposition.**


End file.
